Steering mechanism.



L. GABETTI.

STEERING MBGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 2. 1909.

Patented July 27.4909.`

3 SHEETB-BHEET 1.

L. GABETTI. STEERING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. Z. 1909.

Patented July 27'. 1909.

Ml-s runs. mc.. Limo.. Hummm, Dv c L. GABETTI.

STEERING MEOHANISM.. ArPLloATIoN FILED MAR. 2, 1909.

Patented July 2'?, 1909` 3 SHEETS-*SHEET 3.

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LOUIS GABETTI, HOBOKEN, NElY JERSEY.

STEERING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2r, 1909.

Application filed March 2, 1909. Serial No. 480,936.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it knownthat I, Lotus GABETTI, a citizen ot' the United States, residing at Hoboken. in the county of Hudson, State ot' New Jersey. have made a certain ne and useful Invention in Steering Mechanism, ot' which the't'ollowing is a specification.

This inventizm relates to steering mechanism t'or ships, boats or other water craft. i

'.Ilhe object of the inventif. n is to provide means for steering ships, boats or the like and for maneuvering the same whereby they may be handled expeditiously and easily in ditlicult. places, for instance, Iin making a landing. entering berthing slips, comingy alongside of docks, navigating narrow or tortuous channels, or crowdedfairways, and without requiring the use of' tugs to effect the turning or steering operations.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists substantially in the construction, cnnbination, location and relative arrangement of parts. all as willbe more fully hereinafter set forth. as shown in the accompanying drawings. and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and tothe various views and reference signs appearingl thereon, Figure 1 is a view in side clevafton. somewhat diagrammatic, ot' a boat showing the application thereto of steering devices embodying the principlesl ot my in, vention. Fig. 2 is a broken view in vertical section on the lineQ. 2. Figs. 1 and 3. looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig'. 3 is a broken view in section on the line 3, 3, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 4 'is a broken view in hirizontal section on the line 4, it. Figs. l and 5, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 is a broken view in section on 'the-line', 5, Fig. i, looking in the direction of theiarrows. 1 Fig. 6 is a broken view in section on the line G, G, Fig. 5. looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 7 is a broken view in diagrammatic plan, showing certain features ol" my invention. A i The same part is designated by the same. reference sign wherever it occurs throughout the several views. In the navigation and handlingof ships.

boats. or other water c taft, and especially in navigating narrow or tortuous channelsf crowded basmsharbors, orfalrways, and 1nk entering anchorages, slips or channels, or in docking or berthing, the use ot' tugs or other auxlhary assistance 1s necessary, and muchv time is consumed, and not infrequently dam; age or injury to property and loss of life is suli'ered through the inability to accomplish the required steering movements ot' the ship Lor boat withits ordinary steering devices.

It is among the special purposes of my ,present invention to avoid these and other objections and' practical diitic'ulties encountered in the handling of ships, boats or the like, and .to provide auxiliary steering mechanism whereby the boat or ship maybe easily and expeditiously handled maneuvered', turned in either direction and on any desired turning radius, or moved sidewise, or otherwise controlled in the direction of movement thereof, thereby v'reducing danger of collision to a minimum and enabling the ship or boat to come along side of a dock, enter a berthin'g` slip or beotherwise handled without requiring the use, aid or assistance of tugs or other outside agency. These results may be accomplished in a wide variety of ways and by various specifically -difterent constructions and arrangements. VWhile there-fore, I have shown and described. and will now describe constructions and arrangements devised by me .for accon'xplishing the objects and purposes set forth. I do not desire to .be restricted or confined in the scope ot my invention as defined in the claims to the specific details of construction and arrangement shown.

Inthe drawings reference signe-A. designates a ship, boat or the like, and B, the

vater line thereof. The ship or boat is profiv vided with the usual propeller-C. and steer? .ing 'rudder D. These parts may be of the usual or any well known construction and arrangement. In addition to these usual appliances with which ships or boats are ordinarily equipped. l propose. inaecordance with my invention, to employ auxiliary steering devices indicated at Il.' F G, H, Fig. l. These may be of any desired c011- struction and controlled in any desired manner, and placed `at any desired point to -accomplish the'objects and purposes of my invention. l In practice, and in one tornrof. arrangement asgillustrative of an operative embodiment, well adaptedA for flic -purposes, I have shown these auxiliary steering` devices in the form of paddle wheels. These are preferably arranged to be eti'ective below4 the water line and at. various polnts along ,the length of the vessel, 'and on eachside thereof.

The steering device- E is positioned near -thefst'ern 4ofthe vessel and i's arranged to ici .i operate in a vertical plane, transversely of theflength Aofthe vessel. In this case the w'lieel 6 ismouiited on a shaft 7, and operates in a'cliamber' S which may be opened' o r closedby-inean's of the slide plates t), controlling openings' 10 in the sides 1i of. the

vessel.' By moving these slide plates a trans.

ve'rseopening all the way through the vessel is made andl which opening extends through the clnirnbervS inwnich the wheel 6 operates.

In practice the wheel 6 is so positioned thatA inr operation, only its lower portion lies be-" low the water line, and is immersed in the -water, the upper pai-t ot' the wheelv moving in the closed upper p'art of the chamber 8. Of course this chamber should' be shut olf watei tight troni the interior of theV vessel. The slides-9 are received in'suitable guides,

`and may be .moved into and out of their closed positionsv in anysuitable or conven-garearrange'd within casings 13; closed 'i e ter tight except Afor openings 1o in the sides 14. of the vessel, the paddles of the wheel operatingthrough this opening. .The extent ofthe projection of the blades of the wheels through this opening determines the degree of eiiectiveness of the wheels for the accomplishment of their function. In prac tice I arrange these wheels 12 tooperate in horizontal plaiiesyand, to this end, each of said wheels is mounted on a vertical shaft 16, journaled in a frame 17. In order to regulate the degree of eiiectiveness of the wheel, that is, the degree of proJection of the Ablades thereof through the openings 15l I mount the frame 17, toV slide in guides 18 secured tothe sides of ,the vessel. The trames 17, may be shifted in their guides in any suitable or convenient manner, as for instance, by means of pinions 19, engaging iii racks 20, securedfto said trames, said pinions'being actuated by a crank 21, on the shaft thereof, or otherwise, as may be desired. The wheelsv 12, may be driven in any convenient way. I have shown a simple gearing for this purpose wherein a drive shaft '99 designed to be rotated from any suitable source of power is geared through the. bevel gearing 23,-to drive a stationary at F and G, Fie.- 1, are also in the torni of wheels 1'2, which slialft 2t which, through the gears 2 drives the wheel shaft lo.. The gear 2 :Bis

'spliiied to rotate with shaft 21, but is capable oi" movement lengthwise thereon, and is connected by-- a bracket 27, with the gear 26, whereby a driving relation ot' said gears 25,

V26, is always maintained whatever may be the position of adjustment of the frame 1T, carrying the wheel 12 and shaft 16. lThe shaft 16,A is arranged to extend through elongated openings 28, in the casing 13, and these' openings are maintained closed water tight by means of sliding packing plates 29, connected to move with the shaft 16 inthe lateral movements thereot' when the jij-sliding traine 17, carrying said shaft ismoved. .pockets 30,- toi'nied in the casing 13.

These packing plates slide in The devices F, G, are located at any desired point with reference to the length of the vessel. Convenient positions therefor are shown where one is located about one third and the other about two thirds the length ot the vessel t'i'om'the stern. In practice these devices F, G, are-located on both sides of the vessel.

The devices H, are located near the bow of the vessel. and may have the saine construction, arrangement and operation as the device E, at the stern and above described. y If desired, however, two of these devices may be employed, one on each' side of the vessel, as shown in F 7. In Athis case, and as indicated., each wheel' 32, is carried on a shaft 33, which projects throughthe side of the' vessehand mounted on a swinging frame 34, whereby the angle ot the shatts 323, with the longitudinal center linel ot the vessel may be varied according to i'ei'luirements. in this case the wheels 2.32, operate in pockets or recesses 36, formed in` the sidesI ot' the v :el` and. as will be evident, the degree of ei'lectiveness ot the. wheels will depend upon the degree to which 'the blades of the wheels project beyond these pockets or recesses. The auxiliary steering devices may be operated t'romwaiiy.convenient source of power and controlled l'rom any convenient point. In Fig.y 7, I have shown motors 3T for this pui-pose.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I provide exceedingly simple and etlicient. auxiliary devices whereby the handling and maneuvering'of vessels may be accomplished under its own power without the necessity for the use of tiigs or other or similar aid. The vessel may be moved late ally at stern or bow, or both, and in either direction, thereby enabling the vessel to make an expeditious landingat a dock or in a berth, or tonavigate safely a narrow or tortuous channel, or a crowded harbor.

' Having now set forthl the object and natuie of Iny invention and a ,construction and arrangement embodying the principles f steering propeller' arranged in the casing' thereof, what I-claim as new and useful and of my own invention and desire 'to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In aLsteering mechanism for vessels, a casing formed 1n the side of the vessel and having pockets therein, said casing opening into the water, a shaft extending through the casing, packing plates arranged in said pockets and connected to said shaft, a frame in which the shaft is journaled, a

ing said frame.

2. In a steering mechanism for vessels, guides mounted -in the vessel, a frame mounted in said guides,a shaft journaled in nd carried on the shaft and means for shiftinountedon said shaft, means for driving said shaft, and means for shifting' said frame.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto Set my hand in the presence-of the subscribing witnesses. on.this 24 day of February A. D.,

7 LOUIS GABETTI. Witnesses: i GEO. THUTE,

CHARLES FAIST. 

